Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has signed an executive order which permits pharmacists and other medical personnel to administer vaccines recommended by state officials, no prior prescription needed. The order also requires insurance companies to cover the vaccines.

In today's episode of doomerism isn't a strategy, here's a list of things you can do today to make the world around you suck a little bit less:

Pick ONE thing and do it.
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This should be an inspiration to all American Governors.

I give you @jbpritzker.bsky.social's State of the State speech for 2025.

It's worth a read.

www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/c...

lol so I have decided to just keep building on this thread because as this thread spreads, people are posting more ways to get involved.

First up: CALL YOUR House REP ABOUT THE NIH which is currently on freeze. They fund SO MUCH medical and health related research.
bsky.app/profile/roxa...

LIBRARIES ARE ABOUT TO MATTER MORE NOW THAN EVER. Books are the windows to worlds unseen. Support them by:

- Joining a Friends of the Library (annual donation)
- Visiting and using their many wonderful resources
- Hiring librarians (@mychal3ts.bsky.social is on the market!!)

Tech is a harder thing to crack, but this is why people keep saying get local. If you in community, physically, you can find better ways to talk to each other - maybe its hosting a gathering, a game night, a salon, I mean idk lol.

There are PLENTY of examples of how people organized before tech.

Non-profits, especially think tanks, are about to become VERY important for the next few years.

- Host local leaders, authors, and artists
- Fund researchers and movement builders
- CONTINUE to summarize the evidence
- Partner with local and statewide initiatives
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If you have not scheduled your vax and regular screenings PLEASE DO SO.

Breast cancer, colonoscopies, prostate, paps-- go schedule them. Don't wait.

Because with what's coming in terms of the ACA and for profit healthcare-- you want to get care if you need it ASAP.

Shortly after the election, I recommended on social that everyone schedule your vaccinations and regular cancer/health screenings before the inauguration, because we didn't know what was coming.

Suffice it to say that I learned today that that advice was *lifesaving* for someone in our community.

Rest in peace, Jimmy Carter. Thank you for being one of the remarkable people who demonstrated that what's often thought of as time for retirement is when some among us reach their prime. Thank you for your feminism, your advocacy for Palestinians, your hands-on Habitat for Humanity work....

President Carter was a true public servant in every sense of the word.

His efforts to combat poverty and promote peace touched millions of lives. From a peanut farm to the White House — his story will inspire action for years to come.

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Folks here from algorithmically-fiddled apps complain of a lack of engagement.

It’s on all of us (to some extent)

“Likes” don’t really do anything here.

When you like someone’s post it just creates a notification TO THEM ONLY that you liked it.

For those folks who have joined recently, a few tips that may make your experience here more enjoyable.

It can't be emphasised enough that the block function is a tool for a better experience for everyone. Block accounts that you don't want to see. Block anyone who is rude or uncivil. Bluesky's 'nuclear block' means others won't see your engagement with that account, reducing incentives for toxicity.

Welcome to everyone new to Bluesky! Here are 4 (illustrated) steps you can take to make your experience here more pleasant than what you left behind on X and/or Threads. A 🧵